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Vantage Point

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From UK production company th1ng (Sweeney Todd) comes the title sequence for the thriller Vantage Point - a short classic opener based around the idea of perspectives created by th1ngs title director, Richard Morrison and motion graphics director, Alon Ziv. I asked Alon Ziv what he thinks about the fact that a lot of movies now don't have an opening title sequence at all.

Alon Ziv, th1ng’s motion graphics director: “The main idea was to create a rather classic title sequence which would reflect the many “vantage points” of the movie. So, as you can imagine, perspective becomes the key element. We wanted to create an atmosphere of urgency, almost something waiting to happen. We tried to build a general picture of what can be expected by featuring short V-shaped images from the movie. Colour was quite important as well, as it could give an action feel to the movie, and so we went for amber, which worked quite well.'”

“The director wanted the sequence to give a quick snapshot or an insight into the movie. Watching the title sequence, the viewer had to get an instant impression that it is going to be a lot of action, turning points and the unexpected. Someone said 'the truth is hidden in plain sight - you just need to know where to look' and quite ironically this was the kind of brief we had.”What do you think about the fact that a lot of movies now don't have an opening title sequence at all now, I asked Alon Ziv.“I do not know about you, but for me a movie without a title sequence is like a book without a cover. A good title sequence is such a big part of the movie.”

“The problem is that many people, especially in the TV industry, do not realize that. I would say the fact that we have seen a decline in title sequences over a few years is down to budgets, filmmakers, a type of movie and pressures from the TV environment. If you think of directors such as Tim Burton, you know that his movie will have a title sequence no matter what. Even when the budget is tight, directors like him would probably be ready to cut off a minor scene in favour of a good title sequence. It is just such a crucial part of the movie. But also, it is down to the type of a movie. Think James Bond, can you imagine that series without a title sequence? That’s just not possible!”

“On the other hand, when you think of, say, an action movie that will end up on TV quicker than your journey from home to a local cinema, then you should not be surprised. The majority of films are made keeping TV in mind and, as you know, the TV schedule is pretty tight, so films need to have a shorter footage.”

“Luckily, we are witnessing some sort of shift in this approach and many film directors fight off budgetary constraints and TV pressures. They are back creating 100% movies and hopefully, this trend will continue. We have been quite busy on the sequence front at th1ng for the past 6 months, so it is all looking good for now.”